The invention relates to an interdental cleaner of a tooth-pick, as well as to a process for the production of a corresponding interdental cleaner or tooth-pick.
For some time it has been scientifically proved that the cleaning of the interdental spaces is of particular significance for keeping healthy the denture and especially the parodontium, because diseases of the gums and also the parodontium, i.e. periodontosis, in most cases emanate from the interdental spaces. A reason for the said diseases is the inadequate cleaning of the interdental spaces and when this occurs osteolytic processes can even arise.
It has been found that it is not possible to adequately clean the interdental spaces with manual or electrical toothbrushes, so that special cleaning devices have to be used. The long known cleaning threads, e.g. dental silk or floss, have not proved successful due to their relatively complicated handling, their relatively limited effects and the risks associated with incorrect use.
For cleaning the interdental spaces, apart from the aforementioned dental silk, nowadays use is made of interdental cleaners in the form of interdental brushes or tooth-picks, the latter being more particularly used for cleaning the slightly open interdental space between bridge anchors and in the sulcus region. Numerous different designs of tooth-picks are known. Wooden tooth-picks are used mainly for removing food residues from the interdental spaces. They can have a round or a triangular cross-section. The round, terminally pointed tooth-picks are particularly suitable for cleaning out pockets. The region of tooth contact points cannot be cleaned with a wooden tooth-pick, so that the risk of caries formation persists.
It is also disadvantageous in connection with wooden tooth-picks, that for stability reasons due to their relatively limited flexural rigidity must have a cross-section or core diameter, which is larger than the openings of the slightly open interdental space, so that they cannot penetrate the narrow cross-section of said space.
EP 277 156 B1 and EP 202 296 B1 in each case discloses an interdental cleaner in the form of a tooth-pick, which has a carrier made from plastic or metal and which for increasing the cleaning action is at least zonally flocked with short polymer fibres. The dimensions of the tooth-pick can be chosen in such a way that even narrow interdental spaces can be carefully cleaned. However, it has been found that the polymer fibres forming the flocking cannot be fixed to the carrier in abrasion-proof manner, so that they can become detached during use, which is found to be very unpleasant by the user. It is also disadvantageous that the additionally applied flock fibres make the tooth-picks excessively thick. However, tooth-picks without flocking have a significantly reduced cleaning action compared with such tooth-picks with flocking. However, after use, it is only possible to inadequately clean food residues or blood in the flocking after use, so that can generally only be used once.
According to EP 277 156 B1 the flocking is provided with cleaning and/or disinfecting agents. However, they only have a short-term effect, because the flock fibres have a relatively large surface for a small volume, so that the introduced agents in a very short time migrate from the inner area of the flock fibres to the surface, where they can be rubbed or washed off.
The problem of the invention is to provide an interdental cleaner and in particular a tooth-pick, which ensures a good cleaning of the interdental spaces and which can be used several times. In addition, a process is to be provided, with which it is possible to rapidly and inexpensively manufacture the interdental cleaner.
With respect to the interdental cleaner the problem is solved in that the interdental cleaner has an elongated, rod-like carrier made from a first plastics material, which in partial areas of its surface is covered by at least one insert or coating made from a second plastics material, which is softer than the first plastics material. This leads to an interdental cleaner, in which on the one hand the stability and on the other the cleaning action are determined by different components or elements, so that each component can be directed in an optimum manner towards its function. The interdental cleaner stability is largely determined by the elongated, rod-like carrier, which is made from the first plastics material. Plastics materials for the carrier are preferably polyamides, polyolefins (e.g. PP/PE homo/copolymers), polyacetals (e.g. POM), polyesters (e.g. partly crystalline forms such as PETP, PBTP, LCP or amorphous forms such as PC), fluorine polymers (e.g. PTFE), polypehnylene sulphides (e.g. PPS), polyether ketones (e.g. PEEK), sulphur polymers (e.g. PSU, PESU), styrene polymers (e.g. PS, SB), polymer blends (e.g. PPO), polyurethanes (e.g. PUR), polyacrylates (e.g. PMMA), polymides (e.g. PEI, PAI), as well as combinations of the aforementioned materials. Optionally said materials can also be finished with long and/or short glass fibre reinforcements. It has been found that a carrier can be obtained which, despite relatively small dimensions, is both adequately stable and also flexible, so that damage to the mucosa is avoided.